


Ephemeral Violets

by Whimsical_Vanilla



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:46:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24049912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whimsical_Vanilla/pseuds/Whimsical_Vanilla
Summary: Anne Shirley's naive granddaughter Lily Ford hops at the chance to visit New York City during the summer of 1939. Shortly after her arrival, she has a chance encounter at a crowded party that changes her life and causes her to question everything she knows while World War Two looms in the background.
Kudos: 2





	1. Introduces Lily Ford

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this as a crossover fanfic when I was in high school, then dropped the crossover aspect and got writer's block during chapter three so if you notice a style shift there that would be why.
> 
> I enjoy adaptations and fanfic that keep the tone and spirit of the original work, so I attempted to reproduce Montgomery's style when I wrote this.
> 
> The title is temporary until I think of something better.
> 
> You can enjoy this story without having read Anne of Green Gables. I've included a list of canon characters in the end notes.
> 
> I promise things will pick up in chapter three.

The verdant trees of Rainbow Valley murmured as a gentle wind rustled their leaves. A faint fairy chiming resounded throughout from the boughs of the Tree Lovers upon which two small bells hung; though Walter Blythe had dubbed the neighboring spruce and maple thus decades ago, the two trees still seemed to be embracing as in days of yore. The sun shone brightly through the gaps between the foliage, stretching warm amber fingers playfully across the flora below. At the edge of the valley was an alluring misty pool of azure depths. A young ginger cat – Glenn St. Mary was lousy with the proud creatures – bent its noble head over the pool to quench its thirst in a most dignified manner. Its whiskers drooped, dipping into the cool spring, much to the finicky feline’s distaste. It shook its head resolutely, sending a myriad of water droplets off in all directions. Upon hearing the sweet, beckoning call of its master the ginger cat turned about-face and padded off into the ethereal denseness of Rainbow Valley.

The cat stopped its eager walk once it had reached the affectionate, milky-white hand it so longed to be petted by. The owner of the hand, by matter of course, was a young, merry girl glowing with all the joys and secret delights of youth. Though nearly seventeen she was much shorter than her schoolmates, even those who were younger. She was small and dainty- blessed with a figure that suited her to all the attractive forms of attire. Despite the fact that Lily Ford, as was her name, spent most of her days frolicking and dreaming out of doors, she was not tan in the least for she always wore a shawl and carried a parasol. When without either she sat in the shadiest part of the woods. Indeed, she had creamy-white skin, not the overbearing pallor which clothes the frail invalid, and her dear mother and aunts often marveled over how she sustained her complexion.

A faint rosy hue clung to her soft cheeks, and a small smile tugged at her rose bud lips. Lily raised her deep blue eyes slowly, tracing the outline of the pleasant trees before her. She lifted a doll-like hand and fingered her fluffy brown bangs; this was a nervous tick that never failed to betray her inner anxieties. Lily’s hair was naturally curly and if not tied back in two thick braids it immediately tangled beyond belief and became utterly unmanageable. She sat upon a blanket of lush, velvety green grass, leaning against a silver birch named The White Lady. She glanced around her, slowly taking in the sight of all the pretty flowers and ferns. Lily inhaled deeply, breathing in the poignant perfume of April which pervaded the woods that encircled her. She loved nature and adored Rainbow Valley the most of all. As Green Gables was abandoned for quite some time, no one took her there and Lily was sadly ignorant of the splendors of Avonlea, Lover’s Lane, and Violet Vale. However, she was a contented young girl who loved her mother, father, and elder brother Teddy very much.

“Oh Stella, what am I to do?” Lily mused as she tickled the beloved pet behind its ear. Her cat closed its jade eyes languidly and purred in response.

The Great Depression had been wrecking havoc in America for almost a decade now, and the crisis had spread to Canada and Great Britain in the early 1930’s. The world was quickly engulfed in the fires of this disaster and grieved. It had even reached the remote shores of humble Prince Edward Island, and thrown all the islanders into chaos. Anne’s descendants, and widowed Diana (Barry) Wright were all crammed into Ingleside in order to conserve money. Grandma Anne’s precious garden had been tilled and turned into vegetable garden, and the boys tended it as soon as they were able and old enough. The family was not extremely poor, but they were not as well off as they once were.

Sugar had become a scarce commodity, and despite Susan’s many protests they celebrated several Christmases and birthdays without the sweet concoctions they all so dearly craved. In autumn they picked the ripe, red apples that grew near Rainbow Valley and sold them in Four Winds Harbor and Charlottetown. Not too long ago such behavior would have been considered shameful.

Lily’s brother Teddy was now nearly nineteen; he had returned from Queen’s College over a year ago and longed to further his education at a university in Nova Scotia or Toronto. He had the lofty ambition of becoming an engineer, and under ordinary circumstances Teddy Ford would have been shipped off with many tears and well wishes. But with the way the economy was now? It was impossible! If they could not afford sugar how would they be able to cover university tuition? The poor boy’s hopes were dashed, and when he wasn’t assiduously working on the farm or assisting at the local school, he was moping and looked at everyone with blank eyes.

Lily laid her head upon the plush grass and whispered out her woes to noble Stella, who had always been her confidant.

“Teddy wants to go to college so very much,” she murmured, “he is simply bored being a teacher. It’s tedious and not stimulating enough for him. Would you believe that Jane Marshall told me ‘He should be content with the fact that he has a job. Not everyone is so lucky’? I know that what she said was true, but I couldn’t help getting angry all the same. Teddy’s meant for university- he belongs there. I can tell! He’s extraordinarily bright, not like me. Oh, sure I read a great deal and know what’s going on in the world. But I simply can’t grasp the complex math and sciences that he revels in. Teddy can reel off formulas at any hour of the day, with such ease as if it were the alphabet! He’s been trying to save up his money, Stella Dear, but almost every cent he earns goes towards our family. I know you can keep a secret—I’ve been attempting to raise money for him secretly for a few years now too. I’ve worked hard, and….my endeavors are so pathetic. I’ve only raised $10, and that’s nowhere near enough to send him to school, you know. My efforts seem feeble when you consider how little I’ve earned; but it’s so hard to earn money now! I need a new source of income… Can you think of anything?”

  
Stella sat up, tilted her furry head, and stared at Lily with meditative green eyes. The cat seemed so wise and human-like that the girl always thought she’d speak at any moment, but couldn’t because of a pact with the other felines.

  
“You’ve got an idea, Stella!” Lily proclaimed as she sat up straight. “What is it? You may tell me!”

  
As if in response, Stella extended a slender paw and batted at one of Lily’s braids in a playful, yet refined manner. The brunette gave a small gasp and clapped her hands as the realization came over her.

  
“Of course! Why hadn’t I thought of it before?” Lily stood up resolutely. “I can cut my hair and sell it! Just like Jo March. I have plenty of hair so I’m sure they’ll pay well for it. It won’t be quite enough, but it’s a start. Thank you Stella.”

  
She kissed the cat appreciatively atop its head and ran out of the woods and up towards Ingleside. Lily entered in through the side door, and peeked into the kitchen tentatively. Susan stood in front of the stove, stirring a large pot of stew with a melancholy look upon her face. Although she was quite old (she refused to reveal her age but if Lily had to hazard a guess she’d say around 70), Susan insisted on cooking for everyone just as she always had. Lily gazed at her worn, wrinkled face and hands with open admiration. She found it remarkable that though Susan was tired and sore she continued to cook industriously and prepare splendid meals with the scare ingredients they had.

  
When she was very young, Lily would sit in the kitchen and watch Susan cook in unrepressed awe; her cooking had seemed like magic. The loyal cook recognized talent in young Lily, and taught her all the secrets of the trade. Thus, the girl learned how to make breads and jams, casseroles and stews, cookies and cakes, as well as to sew, crochet, sing, and raise flowers. Lily was a quick learner and under Susan’s tender instruction she blossomed into an accomplished young woman. How she loved to bake and see the smiles upon everyone’s faces as they ate what she prepared! That was happiness enough to satisfy her forever.

  
Those days were a thing of the past; with the lack of sugar Lily could no longer bake the desserts she specialized in. Without any spices or herbs, save for the occasional sprig of rosemary, her dishes tasted bland and no one smiled as they ate anymore.

  
“Susan, where is Mother? I have… um… an idea which I’d like to pass by her…” Lily inquired with a fresh smile.

  
“Rilla’s in the living room with Mrs. Dr. Dear.” Susan replied as she held up a wooden spoon before Lily’s face. “How’s this taste?”

  
Lily bent forward and sampled the portion of vegetable stew she was offered. It needed salt and thyme, and a dozen other seasonings. But the girl was too polite to say so; Susan was doing her best after all.

  
“It’s perfect,” she smiled, “I don’t know how you manage it Susan.”

  
“You’re too sweet,” the cook remarked as she ruffled the youth’s hair.

  
Lily, who loved to be petted, giggled and left the kitchen in search of her mother. Rilla Ford was roughly 40 years old now, but she had aged well. There wasn’t yet a gray hair found by herself or anyone else upon her head, and the dimple above her lip still charmed her devout husband. She was sitting on a couch before a warm fire - although it was spring it was still rather chilly – knitting a quilt out of old scraps of yarn she had found about the house. Rilla used to detest such tasks when she was Lily’s age, but now it kept her hands and mind occupied, lest she think of the state of society, and for that she was grateful.

  
Grandma Anne and Diana sat on the couch beside her, mending clothes with uneven patches to prolong their usage. Aunt Faith and Aunt Di were seated on antique chairs, cutting out small patches of fabric as they conversed with Mary Vance who perched upon an ottoman. Although she had been married for over a decade, everybody still addressed her thus. Her married name simply did not suit the proud, impulsive gossip and her maiden name stuck to her wherever she went.

  
“So, you know, I was at Tom Anderson’s store earlier today,” Mary prattled with the ease of a born storyteller, “I had been working in the garden earlier so I had on my overalls, and a bit of dirt was on my face I s’ppose. And guess who I ran into? Louisa McNeil!”

  
“Oh? And how was she?” Anne asked with mild interest. Not finding any empty chair, Lily sat down between Mary and the couch, easily within reach of her mother.

  
“As snobbish as ever! Just because she has a relative in parliament!” Mary grinned like a Cheshire cat. “When she saw me she wrinkled her nose and remarked ‘Hard times, aren’t they? You getting enough to eat?’ well that was enough to provoke me, you know.”

  
Mary Vance paused and looked around, waiting for some response. For a while the only sounds heard were the clicking of Rilla’s knitting needles and the metallic snipping of scissors. Eventually, faith sighed in frustration, realizing that the conversation would go nowhere unless she spoke.

  
“What did you do?”

  
“I was hoping you’d ask that. Well, I smirked at her and said ‘We eat cake every month as a matter of fact!’ Louisa frowned and said solemnly ‘you’re lying. There’s no shame in admitting to poverty. I can lend you some money.’ And in a patronizing tone at that!”

  
Mary talked loudly enough to be heard in the kitchen, and they could hear Susan remarking “The impertinence of that girl!”

  
“Well, I certainly told her off! I said, scathingly mind you, ‘we don’t want your charity! And you know da—‘” here Rilla bolted forward and clapped her hands over young Lily’s ears, “-well that I never lie!’ She stared at me with wide eyes and a slack jaw as if she’d been turned to stone. You should’ve seen the look on her face—it was priceless! I bought the flour and mulch we needed and hurried out of the store. I’m certain she’s still frozen.”

  
Aunt Faith and Aunt Di were laughing hysterically, for Mary’s antics reminded them of their happy childhood. Rilla and Grandma Anne, however, merely shook their heads in disappointment.

  
“Really Mary, you ought to be more careful of how you speak,” Rilla chided as she took up her knitting again. “It’s not ladylike at all. We may be used to it by now, but I don’t want my children to grow accustomed to such vulgar language.”

  
“Don’t be such a stick in the mud,” Mary pouted and stuck out her tongue. “Now that I think of it, you never were much fun to begin with… Look at the time! I better head home and cook supper. See you folks tomorrow.”

  
With that she stood up, slipped into her shoes, and noisily exited Ingleside. Hearing the door creak as it closed, Lily sat up straighter and adjusted her glasses nervously; how was she to breach the topic?

  
“m-Mother,” she stammered, then inhaled and spoke confidently, “I would like to help Teddy attend university. I’ve given it a lot of thought, and decided to cut my hair and sell it to raise money for him!”

  
Rilla dropped her knitting needles in surprise; it was the first time Lily had ever proposed anything of that nature and she rarely spoke in in such a decided tone.

  
“Sell your hair? Why, Lily, your hair is so long! And it took you ages to grow it out….”

  
“Precisely,” her daughter countered, “My hair is so long and thick that I’m sure it’ll fetch a fair price. Besides, it’s so untamable that I can’t do anything with it besides braiding it. It’s time for a change, don’t you agree?”

  
“Well…I…” Rilla trailed off as she considered the proposition.

  
“Please?” Lily raised her blue eyes pleadingly. “I want to help Teddy ever so much!”

  
“Do let her!” Aunt Faith encouraged, “Wouldn’t you have done the same for Walter?"

  
Rilla sighed, “Alright. I’ll take you to Charlottetown tomorrow to have your hair shorn and sold.”

  
Lily burst into a chorus of celebratory cheers and hugged her dear mother, then stood up straight and smiled at her family.

  
“Where’s the newspaper?” she asked eagerly, tossing a long braid over her shoulder, in the manner of one long used to getting her hair out of the way.

  
“It should be on the table,” Aunt Di replied as she looked up from her work. “I glanced over it earlier. There wasn’t anything terribly interesting.”

  
Lily trotted into the kitchen and returned bearing a crisp newspaper in her hands; she sat down with her back to the fire and spread out the paper on he floor before her. She read the columns and articles in silence, her bright eyes devouring every small typed word.

  
“Why, there’s something interesting right here!” Lily exclaimed and pointed at a bold headline, “Italy has invaded Albania! That’s the first news of the like since the invasion of Czechoslovakia. I wonder if the League of Nations will intervene..."

  
“I don’t know how you manage to read those articles,” Grandma Anne shook her head. “They’re much too ominous for me. I haven’t been able to look at a newspaper since the end of the Great War.”

  
“Nor have I,” commented Rilla, swallowing a lump that suddenly rose in her throat.

  
“What was the Great War like?” Lily inquired and leaned back. “I know Father was a soldier during it, but he won’t discuss it.”

  
Everyone grew silent, uncomfortably so, and their eyes darkened as they recalled those dreary days. The fire crackled suggestively and Aunt Faith thought of all the fires and deaths of many gruesome battles twenty-two years ago.

  
“It was terrible,” Rilla murmured as quietly as a page being turned. There was a slightly bitter, anguished tone in her voice.

  
“Your Uncle Jem was in the war too,” Diana added, “and our Uncle Jerry and Uncle Carl… They enlisted as soon as England declared war. Your Uncle Shirley joined later on, for he wasn’t old enough right away.”

  
“They wrote home letters often.” Aunt Faith said reminiscently. “Though they didn’t go into much detail about the war. I’m sure ‘twas much worse than what they told us.”  
“Much, much worse…” Rilla mumbled, more to herself than anyone else. Anne sighed sadly and patted Rilla’s head empathetically.

  
The group sat soberly in silence for several minutes, and the air was tense with memories they had long tried to forget. Suddenly, Lily raised her head and wrinkled her nose inquisitively.

  
“Is it just me…or is something burning?”

  
“My God! Lily it’s your hair!” Diana exclaimed.

  
Lily turned with great urgency and peered over her small shoulder: sure enough, the left of her two braids was on fire. The ends were already singed considerably and puffs of smoke erupted forth. Lily was frozen in place; all she could do was stare in horror as the wild red flames laced around her braided hair menacingly. Everyone seemed petrified with the same sudden terror, except for Aunt Faith who snatched up her scissors and bolted forward the rapidity she had had during her youth. She caught hold of the burning braid and snipped it fiercely off. The tail of hair fell into the fireplace and was immediately swallowed up by scorching flames. The deed being done, Aunt Faith pulled Lily away from the fire, lest the other tail smolder as well.

  
Now that the initial shock had worn off, Lily sat trembling and breathless; cold tears pooled in her wide, blue eyes as she gingerly felt the back of her head. Still quivering, she stood upon unsteady legs and walked over to an ornate mirror which hung in the hallway. The reflection before her was quite startling: half of her chocolate brown hair was considerably shorter than the other. Lily could vaguely hear the fire popping and crackling appreciatively in the living room.

  
“Aunt Faith, may I have the scissors?” she called out weakly.

  
Soon, Aunt Faith appeared be her side, holding out the scissors with her left hand. After the youth had grabbed them she asked,

  
“What do you need them for?”

  
“To cut the rest and even it out – I can’t very well leave my hair like this, can I?”

  
With that Lily raised the scissors and cut her lone braid with careful precision so that it matched the rest of her hair. With the awkwardness of the initial cut gone, the effect was surprisingly charming and flattering. She shook her head playfully – her now shoulder-length hair freed itself from the remnants of twin braids and flew about her face.  
Lily held the shorn braid with one small hand and patted her dark hair with the other.

  
“I think I rather like it better this way,” she commented, looking back and forth between Aunt Faith and the mirror. “It’s much lighter and I swear I can feel my hair curling already. I’m glad we were able to save this braid – I can at least sell it to raise money. That’s better than nothing.”

  
Aunt Faith sighed and shook her head; knowing that now that the profit had been halved it wouldn’t be enough for Teddy. She followed her niece back to the living room and reclaimed her spot beside Aunt Di. Lily lingered in the center of the room for a while before kneeling at her mother’s feet.

  
“What do you think?” She asked quietly. “I’d like to know.”

  
“It’s so short,” Rilla mused as she fingered the newly cut tips of her hair.

  
“But that’s the style now, ain’t it?” Aunt Di grinned, hoping to lighten the mood.

  
“Bobbed hair was in style a decade ago!” correct Aunt Nan, who had just come in from the garden with sweet Aunt Una trailing behind.

  
“Her hair isn’t exactly ‘bobbed’ dear. It’s longer than that,” Aunt Una said softly. “I think it suits her much more than those braids ever did. It looks young and fresh.”

  
The two dragged in a pair of old wooden chairs from the kitchen and joined everyone in the living room. Aunt Di leaned forward and dumped a pile of royal blue fabric on Aunt Nan’s lap.

  
“What’s this?” Aunt Nan rubbed the thin cotton between her fingertips.

  
“Patches,” her sister replied blandly and handed over a pair of scissors and a ruler. “For pants and overalls and skirts. Don't let your hands become idle- cut fabric.”

  
Aunt Nan grumbled and took up the shiny scissors with hands that were already sore and crusted with a fine layer of dirt. They spent the rest of the afternoon in this fashion, the Aunts working assiduously while Lily was sprawled out on the floor, absorbing every word she read. It gradually grew darker outside and, one-by-one, the cousins and uncles returned home. Dr. Blythe arrived rather late, with the explanation that the Browns’ child had caught the measles. Everyone expressed their concern for the neighbor’s child and Dr. Blythe promised to pass on their regards to the family.

  
Soon, Susan was setting the table and placing as many chairs around it as humanly possible. They all sat down to eat and realized that, oddly enough, Teddy hadn’t come home yet. Where was he? Did anyone know? No one seemed to have a clue, and though they were hungry they certainly couldn’t eat without him. Susan took the stew back to the kitchen and set it upon the stovetop to keep warm while they awaited the lad.

  
Half an hour had passed before Teddy came bursting through the front door energetically. He had clear-cut features and a sunburnt face (the Fords burned easily). It was evident he had taken a brisk run home, for his short auburn hair was quite disheveled. His deep gray eyes shone brightly with sudden pride and ambition. Teddy wore an old, brown tweed suit and red tie that had previously belonged to Dr. Blythe and were fuzzy with age.

  
“Sorry I’m late,” he said as he closed the door behind him and threw off his hat. “I was a bit held up and I have the most glorious news to tell everyone.”

  
Teddy marched into the dining room where his family was gathered, primed for them to all make a guessing game of it as they always had. However, when he saw Lily his eyes widened and he gave a bewildered start.

  
“Why Lily!” He exclaimed. “What happened to your hair?!”

  
His sister reached up and smoothed out her brown locks nervously. “I cut it. It’s to be sold tomorrow…”

  
“Whatever for?” Teddy asked, quite bothered by her sudden shyness.

  
“To raise money…So that you can go to University…”

  
Teddy stared at her in silence for a moment then broke into bellowing laughter.

  
“You silly goose!” he gasped between laughs.

  
“What’s so funny about that?!” Lily exclaimed indignantly. “It was a big sacrifice!”

  
He gave a few more good-natured laughs then said soberly, “I appreciate the ‘sacrifice’ but I’m sorry to inform you that I’ve already been accepted into the University of Halifax.”  
The supper table was thrown into pandemonium and everyone clamored with the same general remark:

  
“What? When?”

  
Teddy held up his rough, brown hands to calm everyone down. He settled into a chair himself and began to explain.

  
“Well, I’ve been studying secretly for the last few years – I didn’t want to give up on my aspirations so easily. I filled out an application and took an exam of sorts in Charlottetown a couple months back. I got Samuel Moss from the Glenn to fill in for me at work that day. The results were mailed to Halifax a week later…I just got the response in the mail today and I’ve been accepted! I got a scholarship of sorts…There’s an understanding that I’ll pay back half of my tuition as soon as I can. I’m enrolled to begin in September and—“

  
“Well, this certainly is means for a celebration!” Susan cheered jubilantly as she laid the hot pot of stew in the center of the table. “Just give me a moment and I’ll have a grand cake whipped up in a jiffy!”

  
“But Susan! We don’t have any sugar!” Anne objected, but the old housekeeper didn’t seem to hear her and bustled back into the kitchen. Teddy chuckled at her foolishness that was brought on by the gaiety of the prospect of another “youngster” going into college. Anne merely shook her head and sighed, secretly longing for sugar as much as Susan and Lily did.

  
“Why didn’t you tell us?”

  
“I wanted to kept secret,” Teddy replied, smiling softly. “That way if I didn’t make it you wouldn’t be disappointed. And if I was accepted after all it’d make a nice surprise.”  
They all praised Teddy for his nobility, chided him for not telling them sooner, and helped themselves to the bland, yet hearty stew.

  
~⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎~

  
When Lily awoke the next morning she could hear birds twittering harmoniously outside. Because Ingleside had so few bedrooms, she shared a room with her mother, her cousins Clara and Maud, and Diana Wright. She sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes, and ran her left hand back and forth over the bedside table in search of her glasses; she could hardly see a thing without them, especially in such dull lighting. Upon finding her glasses, Lily put them on and glanced around the room—everyone else seemed to be sleeping soundly.

  
Lily swung her legs over the side of her bed smoothly and tiptoed over to the window as quietly as a mouse. It was a Saturday so she did not have to worry about getting ready for school. As she peered out the window serenely, she wondered how her schoolmates would react to her shorn hair. She had a feeling that Trix O’Neal would have some cruel, patronizing remark. Lily shook her head vigorously and settled her gaze upon the horizon: she couldn’t let these things get to her.

  
She loved this particular window best of all in the house, for it faced east and she could watch the sun rise each morning. It rose again today, languid yet regal. The sky was tinted with pink ‘round the horizon, gently melding into a soft blue near the middle of the sky, and the sun, a great blazing red sphere in the center of the horizon. Meek, white clouds spread out across the sky, all saluting their King as he ascended the throne.

  
Lily smiled and giggled to herself as she imagined this; such things never failed to entertain her. She turned around and walked over to the mirror and vanity table that were placed against the opposite wall in the crowded room. Although she expected the sight that met her eyes, she was still surprised by her reflection.

  
All of her hair, except for her bangs, had curled, light and springy, while she slept and thick locks clung about her cheeks. Lily blinked a couple of times and picked up a tarnished fine-toothed comb. Her attempt to comb out her hair was in vain, however, as the teeth caught hold of a curl almost immediately and obstinately refused to budge.  
Hoping that her mom would be able to help her untangle her hair, Lily sat down on a stool in front of the mirror and waited for Rilla to wake up. A while later, when the sun shone brilliantly from higher up in the sky, Rilla awoke and Lily explained the situation. Being the sympathetic mother that she was, Rilla could not ignore her daughter’s plea for help. After an hour, and several yelps of pain from Lily, the job was done. Her hair had been thoroughly combed, and was soft and glossy. Before the girl had finished buttoning her blouse, however, her hair curled itself again rebelliously.

  
After eating breakfast, Rilla and Lily walked to the station and took a train to Charlottetown. There, they went into a beauty salon and sold the lengthy braid of brown hair they had preserved the day prior. The employees examined the quantity of the hair in awe, amazed that there were originally two of these pigtails. They weighed the hair, measured it, and calculated an estimate of its worth. One woman swore it was enough hair for two or three people, and insisted on increasing the payment the Fords would receive.

  
Not too long later Lily and Rilla were sitting beside each other on a bench in the Charlottetown station; Lily’s pocket was considerably heavier. She removed a slim wallet from the pocket of her pink jumper skirt, speckled over with patches after much wear. She turned slightly, removed a bill from the wallet, and offered the money to her mother.

  
“Here,” she said softly. “Teddy won’t be needing this money anymore, so it might as well go to the family.”

  
Rilla shook her head and closed Lily’s hands over the thin 50-dollar bill with motherly affection.

  
“I can’t accept that, dear. It’s your money – you earned it. Save it and you may find good use for it sooner than you believe.”


	2. The Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter established the characters and setting; Lily was raised in a warm, yet sheltered, environment.  
> In this chapter she'll take the first step towards her destiny and the many changes that accompany it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's MORE canon characters?! Wow  
> I don't know what my past self was thinking with all of the bird imagery in this chapter, but I left it in.  
> -\\_(シ_/-

Several months had passed by, during which everyone heartily prepared for September when Teddy would be shipped off to college. It was early June now, and though it’s a hot month preceding hotter months in America in P.E.I. it was pleasantly warm. June in the village of Glenn St. Mary was quite pretty, with cool and relaxing evenings. Everything is green and bursting with life, enveloping the citizens with an unobjectionable lethargy. Lily was given the responsibility of retrieving the mail that day, and stood waiting in line at the post office. Everyone seemed to be very excited about something or other, and were all chattering at once.

  
“What’s going on?” Lily asked the middle-aged woman who stood in line before her.

  
“Why, you don’t know?” the lady asked as she turned around. Her salt-and-pepper hair was pulled back into a bun, and a large, floppy sunhat was perched upon her head.

  
“No, Ma’am, I just arrived a while ago…” Lily explained slowly, concentrating her gaze on the ludicrous hat.

  
“Well, there’s been a letter from New York!” her sunhat bobbed as she spoke. “It’s rare enough for someone in the Glenn to get a letter from the States, but imagine! A letter from New York City addressed to someone here! I cannot remember the last time such a thing occurred!”

  
Lily grinned, rather curious by this point, and asked, “Who is it for? Does anyone know?”

  
“Yes, we do. And that’s what makes it even more peculiar,” the lady remarked and bowed her head – her hat nearly fell off altogether. “We all thought it’d be addressed to some young thing, seeing as it’s from New York. But it’s not. It’s addressed to Mrs. Anne Blythe.”

  
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Lily cried excitedly, “That’s my Grandmother!”

  
Everyone froze in stony silence - evidently they had heard her - and turned to face Lily with intense expressions upon their faces. The crowd behind her pushed her forward, and the line in front parted to let her pass. Lily looked about herself, utterly bewildered, all the while. The postmaster dropped a couple of plump envelopes into her small hands. The brunette raised her blue eyes solemnly.

  
“D-Don’t I have to pay some sort of fee?” Lily asked, stammering because of her excitement. “Since it’s from the States?”

  
“Not at all miss.” The postmaster replied and tipped his hat. “Next?”

  
Lily turned around and walked out of the store quickly, clutching the letters to her bosom nervously. Several busybodies followed her like vultures, circling around their prey in order to get the food that sustained them: gossip.

  
“What’s it say?” one woman squawked, “The letter?”

  
“I haven’t opened it yet,” Lily pursed her lips. These women were hovering much too close for her liking, making it difficult for her to breathe.

  
“Well, open it dear! Open it!” the lady in the sunhat urged.

  
“I can’t! It’s for my grandmother!” the honest girl exclaimed, aghast at the notion of reading mail addressed to someone else without permission.

  
“I’m sure she won’t mind” a third lady pressed, holding her skirts aloft as she walked. “Open it dearie, we want to know what it says.”

  
“No,” Lily replied coldly and broke into what was intended to be a quick run, but ended up being a trot. The young girl was not adept at athletics, and was cursed with weak muscles and thin ankles that do not ensure one of a speedy retreat. Luckily, her pursuers were considerably older than she and therefore chased her at an even more leisurely pace. Lily sped off as fat as she could and soon enough she could see Ingleside rising on the horizon. The sight was a comfort to her, as she was already out of breath and gradually slowing down.

  
The toe of her left shoe was caught by a protruding tree root and Lily was yanked down by it with brutal force. She let out a cry of pain and terror as she fell; she could hear the women gaining on her. Teddy, who witnessed the scene from where he was toiling in the vegetable garden, dropped his spade and hurried over without removing his dirty gloves. Lily lay upon the dirt and grass motionlessly, then weakly attempted to sit up as she heard his familiar footsteps approaching.

  
“What are you doing, you silly goose?” her brother laughed as he reached out a hand to help her up. She certainly did look funny, for her flushed cheeks and face were speckled over with dirt, and grass and leaves clung to her curls and frock. Instead of placing her slender hand in his, she handed over the foreign envelope that had caused so much trouble.

  
“What’s this?” he asked as he held up the crinkled paper.

  
“A letter… for Grandma… Anne…From New…York” she gasped, trying to catch her breath now that she had stood up.

“New York?!” Teddy exclaimed, and then turned to the flock of women who now stood beside them. “Go back home you old gossips! There’s nothing to see here.”

  
“Well I never!” the women cawed indignantly and fled as a group. Teddy shook his head disdainfully and led Lily into the house. The two traversed through several rooms, waving at everyone they passed, until they arrived in the master suite where Anne Blythe sat perusing precious possessions and reveling in treasured memories.

  
“Grandma Anne, you’ve got a letter,” Teddy announced as they entered the room.

  
“Who is it from?” inquired Anne, not looking up from the yellowed schoolbooks that lay open on her lap.

  
“From a…” Teddy flipped over the letter to read the back, “Mr. Paul Irving.” Anne’s green eyes widened and she practically jumped up in her surprise. Once she had steadied herself, she walked over and accepted the letter with old, trembling hands.

  
“Paul Irving!” she repeated as she tore the envelope open, “Why, I haven’t heard from him since before the Great War. Long, long before the Great War.”

  
Anne’s eyes gradually shone brighter as they slowly scanned over the page. Her grandchildren observed her with interest, pondering over the contents of the letter. A faint smile tugged at Anne’s thin lips, and her eyes glazed over slightly as she remembered her whimsical former student. She passed the letter to Teddy, and sat down in her favorite rocking chair. He read the letter with puzzled eyes before handing it to Lily, who did the same.

  
Lily could scarcely believe what she was reading, and had to read it twice and thrice to ensure that her eyes were not playing tricks on her. She folded the letter up neatly and kneeled on a floral hooked rug by her grandmother.

  
The letter ran as follows:

  
_My Dear Teacher,_   
_How are you? I’ve read that the effects of our poor economy have reached P.E. Island, and hope that you are well. Allow me to assure you that my family has not been as devastated by the fall of the stock market as others have. I have managed to maintain my position at the newspaper throughout these harsh times. My beloved wife, Rosamond, passed away a while ago from consumption (God bless her soul), and our son died shortly after the Great War ended._   
_I am currently residing with my daughter-in-law and two granddaughters. The older of the two, Emily, is eighteen years old and her sister, Lauren, is seventeen. I assume that you have lovely grandchildren as well. We would like to extend a warm welcome to you and some of your kin to visit for a few weeks this summer. We’ll show you around New York and make sure you have a grand time. Please telegraph your response. We’re all hoping that you can come._   
_Your loving former pupil,_   
_Paul Irving_

  
Teddy paced the expanse of the room and sat in the window seat with his arms folded, watching Anne and Lily with keen interest. For a while, the three sat in utter silence, contemplating the invitation; they turned it over in their minds like a glittering diamond. None of them had ever been to New York – the largest city they had visited before was Charlottetown and it was surely minuscule in comparison. The very name of that grand city breathed splendor and wealth, hopes and aspiration. It was dazzlingly bright – in New York anything seemed possible. The three could almost taste the magnificence of it, and savored the flavor in anticipation. One question lay upon the teens’ lips and they were anxious to ask it.

  
“Will you go?” Lily asked delicately, careful to veil her eagerness. “Who will you take with you?”

  
“I don’t know…” Anne admitted. “I certainly can’t take everyone, as much I’d like to. I’m not even sure if I can go myself. We shall have to discuss this as a family.”

  
With that being said, Anne stood slowly and left the room. Teddy and Lily sat in the master suite together for a moment, smiling excitedly and occasionally looking out the windows to assure themselves that it was not a dream.

  
“Imagine!” Lily said breathlessly. “New York! Just saying the name aloud again has made me more excited.”

  
“I know! Being invited to visit New York City? Why, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance! I certainly hope I can go… School won’t be out for a while though… I wonder if I can get anyone to take care of the Glenn school for me while I’m gone…”

  
Lily shrugged lightly and left the room to see how everyone else was reacting to the invitation. Family and friends alike were congregating in the living room, with Anne at the center, conversing gaily. She weaved through the crowd and sat down on the couch beside Susan.

  
“Well I definitely can’t go, even though it would be fun,” the old cook sighed. “I have to stay home and look after the house no matter what. I don’t want some other woman tending my kitchen!”

  
“I’d love to go, but there’s a bunch of church organization meetings coming up and I’m in charge of the majority of them,” Aunt Di was saying. “There’s no way I can pass my responsibilities on to anyone else.”

  
It continued on in this fashion for several hours; everyone was enticed by New York and wanted to go, but had some obligation to fulfill. Dr. Blythe couldn’t abandon his charges; Nan, Una, and Rilla had a community garden and charities to tend to; Kenneth and Shirley had recently been hired to work on the docks; Jem was engaged to work in Charlottetown; Diana had severely injured her back while planting carrots; the younger boys were in charge of the farm; Faith had to clean out Green Gables; and since Jerry had become a Presbyterian minister a decade ago there was no chance of him leaving.

  
This left only Anne, Lily, and Teddy as guests; the latter of whom was on the phone, hurriedly calling up all the teachers and former teachers he was acquainted with. He even called up Mrs. Cornelia Bryant, an aged man-hater, and after repeating himself for the umpteenth time she blandly refused. Teddy slammed the antiquated phone down in frustration and stuck his hands into his linen pockets, dragging his feet as he returned to the living room.

  
“Any luck?” Rilla looked up from her knitting.

  
Teddy shook his head glumly, “No one can cover for me.”

  
“That’s a shame…” Faith sighed. “You’d think they’d be eager for work.”

  
“They are, but that’s not what’s stopping them. Some of them have been retired for eons, others already have jobs, and some of my friends are too far away at the moment with no means of traveling here.”

  
“Well then, I guess that just leaves Anne Dear and Lily to go,” Dr. Blythe mused as he rubbed the worn handle of his cane.

  
“Why Gilbert!” Anne protested “I can’t – I’d feel awfully guilty going when you can’t. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself fully, knowing that everyone’s struggling to make end’s meet at home.”

  
“We’ll be fine,” Gilbert reassured her with a smile. “You were the one Paul invited, after all. Besides, you can’t expect young Lily to go to the States on her own, can you? I think this is a wonderful opportunity for a young lady like her. She should go out and see the world; I want both of you to go and enjoy yourselves.”

  
So it was decided that Lily Ford and her grandmother would leave for New York within a week. Teddy telegraphed their response from Tom Anderson’s store the next day. Anne and Lily packed their suitcases little by little each day until they were full, careful to pack the most important things last. They both tried to avoid packing any clothing that had too many patches or tears. Within two days the entire Glenn was abuzz with the news that old Anne and her granddaughter were going to New York, of all places. Friends and gossips alike barged into Ingleside unannounced at all hours that week, pestering them for the details of their trip and when they would depart. The Blythe family’s response always came without hesitation, as if it were rehearsed: Thursday, just before noon.

  
Lily woke up early on Thursday in order to put the finishing touches on her packing. She gazed outside for a few minutes, per usual, first. The sun was still lounging atop the horizon, and a tranquil mist hung around verdant Rainbow Valley like a lace shawl. If she craned her neck she could see the moon, a slender crescent of elegance, twinkling in the other side of the sky. Lily sighed contentedly at the sight, then turned to her wardrobe.

  
Only one decent article of clothing had been left unpacked: a smart, brown traveling-suit. It was a tradition from the Green Gables days for women to wear a proper traveling-suit whenever they boarded a train. This tradition was still upheld, of course, and Lily delighted in the idea of wearing such apparel for the first time. The suit consisted of a blouse, long skirt, and boots. The camel brown blouse had a round collar with a big, black satin bow in place of a tie. It had short, puffed sleeves that tapered to cuffs just above her elbows. Numerous narrow pin-tucks ran vertically along the bodice and back of the blouse, and the hem was accented with a mature ruffle. The matching, pleated skirt hid her knees for modesty’s sake, fluttered when she walked, and did up with shiny, chocolate-brown buttons on the left side. To finish the ensemble, Lily put on a pair of black, buttoned boots and light cotton gloves.

  
She combed her dark curls, admiring her reflection in an antique mirror. Lily was thrilled that the clothes suited her; she had purchased the suit with her own money the day after the letter arrived, and was rather proud of it. She smiled and hummed a nostalgic tune softly as she packed away her toiletries and a couple of books. After clicking together the tarnished brass buckles on her suitcase, Lily slid her favorite book, a crochet hook and some yarn, her wallet, and an extra pair of glasses into a purse made from carpet scraps.

  
By the time she was done, Grandma Anne had woken up and twisted her hair into a neat bun. The two smiled at each other in excitement in the morning sunlight. They carried their luggage downstairs and set it near the front door. Susan had already finished preparing breakfast, and was placing a platter of warm popovers, slathered with raspberry preserves, on the dining room table. Lily unconsciously licked her lips; Susan’s popovers were scrumptious but rarely baked – they were saved for when people traveled.  
“I still think you ought to eat a more substantial breakfast, Mrs. Dr. Dear,” Susan advised as she ladled thick oatmeal into bowls for everyone else.

  
“We don't have the time, Susan,” Anne replied. “These will be perfect to eat on the road.”

  
Soon, the rest of the family was awake, standing around the dining room table as Teddy loaded their suitcases into the car and Susan swiftly folded her threadbare apron. Everyone was crying and hugging as they bid Anne and Lily adieu. Rilla refused to let go of her daughter and held her close.

  
“Mother, dear, we have to leave soon,” Lily gently tugged at Rilla’s sleeve.

  
“I know, I know…” Rilla sobbed as she let go, and dabbed at her eyes with a damp handkerchief. “It’s just… I’m going to miss you so much.”

  
“I’m going to miss you too! All of you…” Lily wept, then smiled softly. “But we’ll be back before you know it!”

  
As Anne and Gilbert shared a final parting embrace, Lily gathered up the popovers in a large bandana and opened the door. She could hear Teddy shouting from the old, rickety Model T outside, and glanced towards her grandmother. Anne joined her and the two waved at everyone with glistening tears in their eyes before they turned and walked across the emerald green lawn and red dirt that were characteristic of P.E.I.

  
As they climbed into the car, Dr. Blythe yelled out “Have a good time!”

  
“We will!” they were all smiles.

  
“Come back safely!” called out Rilla, Aunt Di, and Kenneth.

  
“We will!” they repeated in unison and closed the car doors behind them.

  
Teddy started the engine and, after a few pathetic sputters, the car sprung into action and they were off to Charlottetown. It wasn’t terribly far away, around an hour’s drive away by car. Anne and Lily took this opportunity to eat their mildly sweet popovers. Familiar countryside vistas and bustling villages rolled past them, and several acquaintances they drove past greeted them merrily.

  
Not long after, Teddy parked the car near harbor in Charlottetown, then carried the luggage as he waited in line to purchase ferry tickets with Lily and Grandma Anne. Moments later, the trio stood on the pier, slightly apart from the crowd, watching the local ferry gliding in on the glimmering blue horizon. Tears filled the young brunette’s aqua eyes to the brim as she realized anew that they were actually leaving.

  
“Oh Teddy, I can’t go after all!” she sobbed, clutching her brother’s large hands. “I’ll miss you too much!”

  
“Don’t be silly, you goose! You’ll be back in a few weeks, won’t you?” Teddy laughed, though he was sad as well and wondered how they’d both cope with the loneliness after he departed for college in the fall. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, frilly pink satin ribbon.

  
“Your hairstyle is popular right now…” he explained as he tied the ribbon on the top of her head with brotherly affection. “With this, they’ll be able to tell you apart from the crowd.”

  
“You’re the dearest brother in the world!” Lily cried and hugged Teddy just as the ferry was dropping anchor.

  
“You think too highly of me,” he chuckled. “All of you do.”

  
“No, it’s true. It’s true,” Lily mumbled, shaking her head.

  
A whistle blew in the background and Teddy informed them that the other passengers were already boarding the ferry. She let go, dried her tears, and picked up her luggage. Lily and Anne stood in a short line to board as the sea sparkled around them, and she looked over her shoulder to give Teddy another parting smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jerry- I no longer recall who he is. He might be Una and Faith’s eldest brother?  
> Mrs. Cornelia Bryant – Anne’s friendly neighbor from the fifth book in the series, Anne’s House of Dreams. She was one of my favorites, so she gets a cameo. Sadly, Montgomery decided to marry her off to an old sailor before Anne moved to Ingleside. This decision still baffles me.

**Author's Note:**

> Canon Characters
> 
> Anne Blythe – Previously Anne Shirley, the star of Anne of Green Gables. Lily’s kind and whimsical grandma.  
> Rilla Ford – Anne’s youngest child and Lily’s mother. Apparently has a lisp.  
> Gilbert Blythe – Anne’s husband and the local doctor  
> Susan – The family maid/cook. She calls Anne “Mrs. Dr. Dear”  
> Walter Blythe – Anne’s beloved son, a poet who loved nature. He died during WW1.  
> Nan & Di – Anne’s twin daughters. I no longer recall their distinct personalities  
> Diana- Anne’s best friend since childhood. I get to do whatever I want with this fanfic, so I decided to fix things and now they live together.  
> Paul Irving – Anne’s favorite student from when she taught in Avonlea. He was a sensitive, creative boy who moved away with his father to America.  
> Faith- The daughter of a local minister who married Anne’s eldest son Jem  
> Una- Faith’s sister who does things at her own pace  
> Jem- Anne’s eldest son  
> Kenneth – Lily’s father  
> Mary Vance – An orphan who was adopted by the local minister. She’s friends with Anne’s children and has always been free-spirited and mischievous.
> 
> Canon Locations:  
> Ingleside- Anne’s house in the town of Glenn St.Mary, Prince Edward Island, Canada  
> Rainbow Valley- The forest behind the Blythe house  
> Avonlea- The village where Anne was raised by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert.


End file.
